Mais 18 nomes do cartaz confirmados

The Municipality of Loulé, the entity that organizes the MED Festival, promoted this Tuesday a communication action to announce 18 more names, representing 12 countries, that will integrate the musical poster of the 19th edition. So far there are already 35 known artists who, from June 29 to July 2, will perform in the Historic Area of Loulé

Kabaka Pyramid (Jamaica), UDJAT invite Pedro Jóia (Portugal), Balkan Taksim (Romania), Nancy Vieira (Guinea-Bissau), Moonshiners invite Samuel Úria (Portugal), Nicola Conte & The Spiritual Galaxy feat. Zara McFarlane (Italy/UK), Monda (Portugal), Poil Ueda (Japan/France), La Sra. Tomasa (Spain), Zeca Medeiros (Portugal), Jean Christian et le Quator des Rêve Enfouis (Canada/Portugal), Tomoro (Japan), Caamaño&Ameixeiras (Spain), Carpideira (Portugal), Svetlana Bakushina Quarteto Fusão (Russia/Portugal), Miguel Calhaz (Portugal), Marco Martins´Low Profile (Portugal) and Venga Venga DJ Set + Live Act (Brazil) these are the artists who join the names released last March, at the Lisbon Tourism Exchange.

From latitudes as geographically distant as Jamaica or Japan, nations at war like Syria, or the ever-present PALOPs like Guinea-Bissau, MED once again bets on multiculturalism and the “musical elasticity” of the world’s sounds, giving getting to know, in many cases, bands with some history or recent projects. In fact, if it weren't for holding events like this dedicated to this niche of world music, it would be difficult for these projects to reach the Portuguese commercial circuit.

Of the names announced today, one of the highlights goes to reggae: from the birthplace of this musical style, Jamaica, the Kabaka Pyramid, winners of a Grammy in 2022 for Best Reggae Album, profile themselves as one of the most resonant names that will line up D name. They will be one more of the confirmed reggae artists after, in the first list released, another Jamaican was announced, Horace Andy.

Lusophony is back in focus, and the Guinean Nancy Vieira will be one of the representatives of this linguistic universe. The artist should have performed in 2022 but, at the time, she was infected with COVID-19, which led to the cancellation of the concert.

The highlight also goes to new partnerships and concerts that, while not being unique, only took place in specific situations, as is the case of UDJAT who joins the guitarist Pedro Jóia, or the Moonshiners, who will play a special concert alongside Samuel Uria.

It is not the first time that Japanese projects take the MED stage, but this year Japan will be double dose, with Tomoro, and also with the national debut of Poil Ueda. The latter is expected to be a surprising show as it is an unlikely encounter between the French rock/contemporary music band PoiL and Benoit Lecomte (bassist of the band Ni) and the traditional Japanese music singer/satsuma-biwa player Junko Ueda.

He has already been on big stages like Rock in Rio and now travels to Loulé with a proposal that won't leave anyone indifferent. Omar Souleyman, a true legend of Syrian music, who has lived in Turkey since 2011, the year he left his home country due to the war, makes a creative electronic approach to traditional music.

These are names that will perform on the 4 main stages of the Festival – Matriz, Cerca, Castelo and Fountain, but also on the Hammam Stage (adjacent to the Islamic Baths). However, in total there will be 12 stages that will make up this edition, “not necessarily physical structures but points of action, some itinerant”, explained the director of the event and councilor of the Municipality of Loulé, Carlos Carmo.

During the presentation, he highlighted “cultural and musical diversity as the great wealth of the MED Festival”. But also the fact that it is “an experience for those who come here”, not only in terms of the environment and the public space it involves, but also “because of the elasticity that MED provides in musical terms”. “Today we could see just that, different musical genres, from different parts of the Globe, but with a common point: a great musical quality and a lineup that is in one of the highest levels of the last years”, he said.

The MED Festival also rhymes with sustainability and all the environmental concerns that have been incorporated into this event for several years, even with a pedagogical component for the public, now embrace a new challenge, the goals for sustainable development of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. “MED is committed to complying with 7 SDGs, linked not only to environmental sustainability”. These are gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), sustainable production and consumption (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13) and partnerships for the implementation of the goals (SDG 17).

MED once again relies on public television and radio channels as media partners – RTP, Antena 1, Antena 2 and Antena 3 – to help with promotion and dissemination, with concert broadcasts and event coverage.

2023 will be a year of “consolidation” of some changes that have taken place over the years and of “improving” organizational issues, as the director said. The return of Calcinha as one of the “stages”, after a year of closure for works, the change of space where Cinema MED takes place and the reopening of the entrance from the inside of the Market, with 3 entrances working in this edition, are some of the highlights. news.

In 2024, the MED Festival celebrates two decades of existence and Carlos Carmo guarantees that preparations are already being made for this edition so that it will be even more special, more careful, with many novelties and surprises”.

But in relation to this 19th edition, the Municipality will announce more news on May 26th, at 6.30 pm, at Café Calcinha, namely partnerships with local associative agents. On June 2, at 9 pm, at the Cineteatro Louletano, the Guinean Eneida Marta is the guest artist in the concert of what will be the last performance.

It should be noted that tickets are on sale at BOL and at Cineteatro Louletano, at pre-sale prices until the beginning of the MED week.

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